Wednesday, October 21, 2015

To Dress Up or Not to Dress Up?

With Halloween just around the corner, there are tons of
themed fitness classes and road races these days. It got me wondering whether
or not costumes are a practical idea when moving and sweating will be involved.

I have run in a few events that lent themselves to wearing a
costume but was never creative enough to come up with one. But, this year I
will be participating in a themed spin class the morning of Halloween so I have
decided to go as an 80s fitness guru. I figured this way I would at least be
wearing clothes that it’s OK to sweat in!

In talking with some other instructors and gym owners, there
were some things I hadn’t thought of that I wanted to share with you all in
case you are hosting a themed class or planning to dress up.

* Beware of Bling – Ah yes, wearing a tiara and sporting a
feather boa may look great when you walk in the door but make sure students
(and you) remove anything that may fly off during class. Not only may feathers
and beads hit someone, they could cause someone to slip.

* Don’t Show Too Much Skin – This sounds odd considering
some people work out in a sports bra and shorts but one gym owner told me that
Halloween makes people even less inhibited and some costumes can be too risqué
and offensive. Make sure you and your students are mindful that while it is a
one-day thing, some folks may not enjoy seeing more than they signed up for.

* Don’t Take it Personal if Regulars Don’t Show – Everyone
has their beliefs and one instructor shared with me that someone had been
attending her class twice a but would never show up to any holiday-themed
class. She was baffled, so when announcing her Halloween class date, she made a
point of asking if this person would be dressing up. It was then that she found
out that because of religious beliefs, this person didn’t celebrate holidays so
that is why she never came to any of her special events. You might think twice
about a themed class, and definitely don’t take it personally if some regulars
don’t show.

* Make Sure it’s OK – Some facility owners said they don’t
allow dress-up events for liability reasons so check ahead of time and make
sure you have the green light to be able to invite ghouls and goblins to your
gym.

* Have Fun with the Music… But Not Too Much – There are tons
of songs you can incorporate for Halloween, but keep a couple of your regular
ones too. “Thriller”, “Monster Mash” and “The Addams Family” are awesome, but
back-to-back hokey songs can make your class lose focus and take away from
their workout.

* Can the Material Breathe? – As a kid, I remember those
plastic masks made my face feel like it was on fire as I walked from house to house
trick-or-treating. Make sure that any clothes or facial coverings allow your
body to breathe as you jump and sweat. Nobody wants to overheat and have a
problem because of a costume!

Here are some fun fitness costumes in case you are still
searching for what to wear:

* Think about dressing up like Zumba’s Beto Perez.

* What about going back in time and dressing up like Jane
Fonda, Richard Simmons or Suzanne Somers?

* Go as a piece of sports equipment like a kettlebell or a
balance ball (though, if you’re teaching, avoid anything too bulky).

What are you going as this Halloween? Would love to hear
from you. Until next time, much Zumba love to all!